KAMPALA – Authorities at Butabika Hospital in Kampala are urgently seeking Shs2.5 Billion to complete a 2.5Km perimeter wall fence.
This vital construction aims to curb patient escapes, which not only jeopardize the local community but also endanger the lives of the patients.
During a session with Parliament’s health committee, Juliet Nakku, the Executive Director of Butabika Hospital, emphasized that the incomplete wall fence has led to frequent patient escapes, posing a significant threat.
Nakku highlighted the increased costs incurred in retrieving patients who escape onto the roads.
Nakku appealed to Parliament to raise the allocated budget for meals to Shs4.7 Billion, surpassing the current Shs2.439 Billion.
She explained that the hospital caters to 313,000 patients annually, spending an average of Shs6,187 per patient for three meals daily.
Nakku stressed the necessity of increasing the budget, as the current inpatient numbers exceed the bed capacity, requiring improvisation within the existing financial constraints.
In a related development, Dr. Emmanuel Tugaineyo, Director of China-Uganda Friendship Hospital in Naguru, expressed concern over the hospital’s name.
He argued that the inclusion of “China” in the hospital’s name has deterred support from western donors.
Despite the Chinese government supplying acupuncture needles and gloves, the hospital faces challenges in securing financial aid from its primary western partners who avoid associating their funding with anything related to China.
